Prospecting the Red Planet:
JPL Scientist Talks on the 2001 Mars Odyssey Mission

By Steve Bartlett

Dr. Jeff Plaut of the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory spoke on the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission in a public lecture April 28 in Huntington Beach. He described how the spacecraft, currently in orbit around the Red Planet, is assaying the mineral and chemical makeup of the planet's surface. The Boeing-Huntington Beach facility hosted the OASIS-sponsored event.

Dr. Jeff Plaut making presentation about Mars.

Beginning with a history of Mars exploration, Plaut described the numerous craft sent there from Earth, from the Mariner flybys and orbiters in the mid-'60's and early 70's to the Viking orbiters and landers of the mid-'70's, to the Mars Pathfinder lander/rover and Mars Global Surveyor orbiter in the late-90's. He also mentioned some of the failed missions and pointed out that sending probes to Mars is a difficult endeavor at best.

The recent data from the Mars Odyssey orbiter reveal sizable quantities of hydrogen, probably in the form of water molecules, frozen beneath the surface of much of the planet. This water and its distribution reveal much about the forces that shaped the Martian surface and could serve as a vital resource for any future human outposts there.

The craft collects optical, infrared, gamma ray, and neutron emissions from the surface and allows researchers to compare data from the same locations in different wavelengths for the mineralogical survey. As part of its public outreach, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and researchers at the Arizona State University working on the program post on their website that images the craft has collected on a daily basis.

At the end of the talk, OASIS presented Dr. Plaut with a plaque commemorating the event.

Prospecting the Red Planet: JPL Scientist Talks on the 2001 Mars Odyssey Mission

Prospecting the Red Planet:
JPL Scientist Talks on the 2001 Mars Odyssey Mission